NE BUSINESS BUREAU
CHENNAI, FEB 1
Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram trashed the budget presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Saturday.
“We have just heard the longest Budget speech by a finance minister in recent years, which lasted all of 160 minutes. If all of you are exhausted, as I am, I would not blame you. I am at a loss to understand what was the message intended to be conveyed by Budget 2020. I am also not able to recall any memorable idea, or statement, in the speech,” Chidamabaram said at a press conference at the party headquarters on Saturday.
The government has given up on reviving the economy, or accelerating the growth rate, or promoting private investment, or increasing efficiency, or creating jobs, or winning a greater share of world trade, he further said.
“I am certain that even the most staunch BJP supporters or workers latch onto any idea and take it to the public,” he added
When asked to rate the Budget on a scale of 1 to 10, Chidambaram said, “Choose any number between 1 and 0… 10 has got a one and a zero, you can pick either and I’m okay.”
